Luminescent (Inheritance Cycle and Beyond)

Chapter Seventy-Two: Blinding

Several weeks later, Yirlitá was visiting Du Weldenvrangr to tutor Fen the art of healing with natural herbs. The forest provided an abundance of natural remedies for injuries and illness that the elves had been using for thousands of years. This kind of healing would kill you.

I had just come back from picking the winter vegetables. I had collected a variety of produce, including many types of greens, winter apples, squash, and beans. I was most excited for the winter apples, a particular kind of apple that only grew in the winter.

From the stories I heard from the produce vendors, winter apples held a rosy pink hue to their skins and tasted tart before melting into an underlying sweetness. Perfect for baking.

I had strapped Selene to my back instead of her usual position on my chest to protect her from any scratches. She had been enamored with the different colors and shapes of the plants, often squealing in my ear.

By the time she grew into her teenage years, surely, I was going to suffer from hearing loss.

I heaved the basket full of produce up onto the kitchen counter before reaching behind me to let Selene out. The baby, who had been sleeping against my back let out an audible yawn before blinking up at me as I brought her in front of me.

Her dove grey sparkled at me as she gave me a big smile, her first couple of teeth peeking out at me. Smiling back, I kissed both of her cheeks, laughing as she squealed and waved her hands in my face.

Happy baby, happy Mal.

I placed Selene in her pen, handing her a toy to teeth on before getting back to the produce. The winter apples went into a bowl by themselves, I had a plan for them. The rest of the produce was for lunch and dinner for the next few days.

Conjuring a steady stream of water to flow into the sink, I washed each of the vegetables, cleaning the dirt and grit from the leaves and foliage before patting them dry and placing them in the dry storage.

"Mommy!" My eyes lifted to look in the direction of the dining room. "what's for dinner!?!"

"Leftovers from last night!" I called back.

"Oh yeah!" Shaking my head as Fen went back to work. I pulled out the leftover dish I had baked last night and set it out to warm up as I heated the oven. As I was pulling out silverware, Yirlitá glided into the kitchen.

"Shur'tugal," She greeted.

"Yirlitá," I replied with a smile. "how is she doing?"

"Very well, that child is gifted with a sharp mind. I have never seen such discipline from someone so young." I smiled as I slid our lunch into the oven.

"I just hope that it's because she wants to, and not by our own ambitions." Yirlitá shook her head.

"Nay, Grifen strives towards her own goals." The elvan healer responded. "that child seeks knowledge, I doubt that she will ever stop learning."

"As long as she is happy." I sighed.

"Aye, the babe is, but what of your own?" My own happiness. I hadn't thought about that in months, not since learning that I was expecting Selene. "You haven't thought about yourself, have you."

"I've been busy," I told her as I started to peel the winter apples.

"Bah! You are raising children! Not an army!" Yirlitá scoff. "you deserve a break!"